RAMALLAH, (PIC)– The Palestine prisoners center for studies charged the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) with practicing systematic torture against Palestinian prisoners with full authorization by the judicial system.

It said in a statement on Tuesday that the general committee against torture received 900 complaints from liberated prisoners over the past few years detailing their torture at the hands of Israeli jailors, who were not prosecuted or interrogated about such practice.

It also charged the Israeli judiciary with complicity as none of the interrogators was investigated over the use of cruel interrogation means.

The center, in a report on the occasion of the international day against torture, said that the IOA was legalizing torture without any humanitarian consideration.

It said that the practice led to the martyrdom of 71 prisoners the latest being Arafat Jaradat from Al-Khalil.

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IOF bulldozes lands in al-Khalil for settlement expansion

AL-KHALIL, (PIC)– Israeli bulldozers started on Tuesday to bulldoze lands near the fence of Nijhout settlement built on Palestinian lands south of al-Khalil.

Eyewitnesses told PIC that Israeli bulldozers began working in areas adjacent to the fence of Nijhout settlement established on the lands belonging to Khirbet Salama residents, south of al-Khalil in the southern West Bank.

The bulldozers are working on expanding spaces for creating new settlement units in the western side of the settlement, overlooking the villages of al-Majd and Beit Awwa.

The witnesses added that the Israeli occupation forces have prevented in recent months the citizens from approaching their lands adjacent to the settlement as these lands will be used for building tens of settlement units after the Israeli government approved construction of 800 new units in the south of the West Bank.

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Tawana village facing settlement expansion

AL-KHALIL, (PIC)– Saber al-Hariny, member of Tawana village council, told PIC’s correspondent that the villagers have been exposed to settlers’ daily attempts to confiscate lands adjacent to the settlements that surround the village.

Tawana village, east of Yatta town in the southern part of al-Khalil district, which has a population of about 400 people, is surrounded by four Israeli settlements; Fatah Sedro, Ma’on, Karmiel and Umm Arayes.

Al-Hariny pointed out that the Zionist establishment has been trying to expel the residents of the village and force them to leave their properties, amid the absence of support from the Palestinian Authority.

Tawana village has experienced since 1967 many attempts to Judaize it for its proximity to the Jordanian border. The occupation separated it from the city of Yatta, and surrounded it by settlements.

Al-Hariny said that “the occupation has been increasingly intensifying its repressive procedures against the village and its inhabitants over the past decade. Israeli Building Department implemented dozens of demolition and confiscation resolutions.”

Suleiman Khader Amour, 29, said the occupation was trying hard to force the villagers to leave their lands, through the settlers’ ongoing attacks against the population, the agricultural lands, the farmers, the school students and the mosques.

Mahmoud Rab’i, 58, criticized the Palestinian Authority’s inaction regarding the issue of the villages east of Yatta and said: “PA is not providing the support and services that will enhance the steadfastness of the villagers against the settlers and the Israeli measures against them.”

Former Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak issued last year a decree to demolish eight Palestinian villages east of Yatta for military purposes.

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Construction work to expand a settlement in al-Khalil

AL-KHALIL, (PIC)– Israeli bulldozers started on Tuesday to raze lands near the fence of Najohout settlement built on Palestinian land in southern al-Khalil district.

The Israeli authorities have approved the work construction in the settlement in order to expand the settlement and establish new housing units, eyewitnesses said.

The sources added that the Israeli authorities prevented the Palestinian residents to have access to their lands near the mentioned settlement especially after the approval of 900 housing units in the West Bank.

Spokesman for the foundation Ahmed Betawi stated that an Israeli jailer named Lolian Bacieir on Monday brutally beat and kicked prisoner Barghouthi in his face, causing him to bleed from his teeth.

Betawi said that this assault happened after prisoner Barghouthi refused to keep the bathroom door open at the request of the jailer because that was a violation of his privacy.

He added that this jailer also wanted to take revenge on Barghouthi after he filed a complaint a week ago with the high court of justice known as Bagatz about the provocative behavior of this jailer who keep harassing him every time.

For his part, lawyer of the Tadamun foundation Mohamed Al-Abed said that prisoner Barghouthi has been on hunger strike for 56 days and consequently his health condition declined sharply.

He stated that Barghouthi suffers now from serious health problems in his liver and heart because of his long hunger strike.

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Israeli court extends detention of two children for the fifth time

JENIN, (PIC)– The Israeli military court in Salem base extended on Wednesday the detention of two Palestinian children for the fifth time.

The court extended the remand of Yazid Abul Ruub and Ibrahim Abul Ruub, both 15 years old, till 27th August after turning down their lawyer’s request for their release.

Both children, from Jalbon village to the east of Jenin, were detained three months ago.

Omar, Yazid’s father, said that he was concerned about the incarceration conditions of his son since he was still a little boy.

He said that his son complained to him during a recent visit of the incarceration conditions. He demanded the immediate release of his son and all other detained minors in Israeli jails.